


The Rooms in Ginny's Heart

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Harry Potter Next Generation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-23
Updated: 2010-08-23
Packaged: 2018-10-26 12:53:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10787115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Ginny visits each of her children's bedrooms after they leave for Hogwarts.





	The Rooms in Ginny's Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

After the Hogwarts Express left, Harry dropped Ginny at home. How quiet the house was, with all the children gone. It was Lily’s first year; she had been too excited to eat breakfast. 

Ginny knew from past experience that she needed to make sure the children hadn’t left anything behind.  She opened James’s door first. 

His room was a jumble of old school papers, sports magazines, and discarded clothing. A tattered sneaker lay atop his desk, next to several banana peels. Posters of Muggle rock bands were tacked to the wall. A gleam under the bed caught Ginny’s eye. She got on her hands and knees, raking out a dozen empty soft drink cans. She placed them in the wastebasket, along with the banana peels.

One more thing was under the bed. It was a toy giraffe, bought long ago on a trip to the zoo. James had named him Malcolm. Until he started Hogwarts, he refused to go to sleep without Malcolm at his side. Ginny noticed Malcolm was starting to lose his stuffing. She tucked him under her arm, to mend later. Then she changed her mind and laid him on the pillow. 

“You can welcome James home at Christmas,” she said softly.

Al’s room was a haven of order. His bed was neatly made. The clothing he didn’t take to school was put away. He was an avid reader; bookshelves lined an entire wall. A Gryffindor banner hung over his desk. He had a teddy bear, but its pristine condition indicated it had never been a much-loved friend. Ginny hoped Al wouldn’t turn out like Percy. Seeing the pens on her son’s desk, precisely lined up according to length, was somewhat disturbing 

Lily was neither as messy as James, or as neat as Al. Her bed was made, but the duvet was longer on one side. Her collection of dolls and stuffed animals filled several shelves. However, it was no longer a little girl’s room. Last night, Ginny had added a box of tampons to Lily's trunk. 

“Just in case,” she said. “If it happens, let me know right away.” 

“I know, so you can get permission to take me out to dinner,” Lily said impatiently. “It’s a mother-daughter tradition.” 

“Right. Do you want to ask me anything, Lily?”

“About _that?_ No. You covered everything in our mother-daughter talk, another of those traditions,” Lily said, affecting a bored tone. But then, she suddenly hugged Ginny. 

“Thanks,” she whispered. “I love you, Mum.”

Ginny closed the door to Lily’s room and went downstairs. Her children were growing up. Each year, they would need her less. But the next chapter of her life could be just as rich and full, if she made the effort. She would start by cooking Harry’s favorite dinner, served by candlelight. She knew he would have some delightful ideas on how to spend their first evening alone. 


End file.
